Abstract
Gasification of glucose in high temperature and pressure steam was investigated. Steam condition was in super-critical or sub-critical state. A small pressure vessel made of Inconel with 81cm^3 inside volume was used as a reactor. Reaction temperature was changed between 873 to 973 K, and reaction pressure was 2 to 30MPa. Glucose was supplied into the reactor as an aqueous solution of 0.5 mol/l to 2 mol/l concentration. More than 90% of glucose supplied was converted into the gaseous substances. High efficiency gasification was achieved because total organic carbon in water was less than 300 ppm. Main substances were H_2, CH_4, CO, and CO_2. Reaction temperature was primary factor on the yield of produced gaseous substances other than reaction temperature. For example, hydrogen production at 978 K was 10 times larger than that at 873 K. Yield of H_2, CH_4, and CO_2 was increased with residence time up to 20 sec, and carbon conversion was achieved almost unity. However, CO production was independent of residence time. This result suggests that required residence time for complete gasification was 20 sec.
